Weather of the Week

Back to above average temps for this week, ranging from the mid to upper 70s to low 80s. The beginning of the week should be nice and sunny, but as we approach the weekend, the chances for showers and storms increase. Watching for some severe weather potential Friday and Saturday.

What’s Going on in the Weather World?

It needs to be addressed what to do during a severe thunderstorm, especially during a hailstorm. I have voiced this many times, but under no circumstances park your vehicle under an overpass. It is deadly. While it may protect your car, should a tornado form, that overpass will act as a wind tunnel, increasing the wind speeds and increasing your risk of debris impacting your vehicle. While it may hurt your wallet, your life is more important. Going into a building and staying on the lower levels is the best for protection from the storm. Also, do not stand near a tree during a thunderstorm. I cannot tell you how many people I’ve seen while chasing, just hanging out by a tree watching the storm. That’s a good way of getting struck by lightning.

Also, it is worth saying again that you should not chase unless you know what you’re doing. There are two ways to chase, pick a target and wait for storms to convect (if they even do), or my way, coordinate with a cell and intercept it in time. The forecasting is important, but surface observations in the morning will give you an idea to shoot for. Radar is key. Not the Weather Channel app, not Accuweather, if you know how to chase, you are using radar apps like RadarScope, WeatherWise, etc. You need to know how to read reflectivity and velocity at least. If you don’t know these few things, don’t chase. It’s dangerous to do without any knowledge. Here is a perfect video on how to read Doppler Radar for beginners: https://youtu.be/AeX2lMUfddQ?si=5j-OxgV53wmikkLa